NEW DELHI: Pickleball will soon have a new league, the Pickleball World Series. The Times Group is partnering with Pickleball Asia to start this new series on a global stage. The series will start in the US and travel across different continents with six major events in a year, according to a press release.
Pickleball, which has become very popular in a short period of time, is a fusion of tennis, table tennis and badminton. Its accessible game-play has attracted enthusiasts of all age groups as well as sports stars and celebrities including champions from these three racquet sports.
While there are several existing competitions and leagues in the US, the series will be the first tournament with global ambitions and will also have a significantly enhanced entertainment quotient, the press release said.
In the first year, the Pickleball World Series will comprise of 64 players in the individual format and six teams comprising four players each, from the US and the rest of the world, including India - which is a rising hotspot for the sport.
Times Group MD Vineet Jain states: "Pickleball is gaining ground as the game for urban sports enthusiasts. Times Group is known for its innovation and ability to be a head of the curve in every one of its initiatives and we hope that this effort to take the fastest growing modern sport to the next level will inspire its exponential growth all over the world including in India.
"I personally believe that in five to seven years, pickleball will overtake tennis in terms of participation."
